Antagonism & Relational Aesthetics- By Claire Bishop

Bishop states that: 1990's work opened up a new direction making art work interactive with people.

No longer are art galleries displaying work-but creating a social environment

Having artwork shown in a so called "laboratory" differentiates themselves from a bureaucracy collection-based museums.

Spaces creates a buzz among people. A broader sense of creativity and the aura being present in a space where contemporary art plays a role of production.

Artists showing/working in a "laboratory" gallery space want their viewer to "experience" creativity and studio activity.

Some "laboratory" art spaces have bars or reading lounges!

Hal Foster forcasted that in the mid-1900's the institution (museums) may overshadow the artwork. The bureaucratic museum becomes a spectacle-showing light on the Director/Curator.

Bourriad believes that: " Todays artists seek only to find provisional solutions in the here and now... artists are learning to inhabit the world in a better way." (by showcasing work in a "laboratory".

Artist Tiravanija cooks for his audience- He has observed that this involvement of the audience is the main focus point of his work: Creating a relationship with the artist and the viewer.

Artist Gillick creates an open-endedness in which his art is the backdrop to activity. But isn't a lot of art backdrops of creativity?

Relational art as Bourriaud argues is that : A viewer is physically present in a particular situation at a particular time-eating food, flirting, and having conversation.

The presense of the audience is essential-without people, it's not art-it then becomes something that is in a room".

Relations between the artist and the audience creates new communicative situations.

Bourriaud's argument is that the structure of an art work produces a social relationship.

"A democratic society is one in which relation of conflict are sustained, not erased."

Lacan agruees that: "We have a failed structual identity and are therefore dependent on identifcation in order to proceed."

We need to rethink our relationship to the world and to one other!

This article relates to my work because when I am showing my work I want to create an atmosphere with people, food, and drink. It is important to me that people are engaged with my work and with eachother. I want people to discuss my work and to drift in-and-out of conversation in a social setting. Personally, I do not believe that I have to cook for my audience, I don't believe that I have to prove to my audience that they support me so I should feed them. Which is not what Tiravanija's work is about, but that's how i think of it. Which it's not a bad thing at all, but it is just not "my taste." I do know that my paintings are talking with my viewer and creating conversations. That is all I need in for a show: Great conversations, wonderful art, suppior food, and lushes drinks.